Original report: A ban on sale of animals along roads or in parks or other public property is making its way through the Arizona legislature. The bill, H.B. 2485, would also make it illegal to sell animals on commercial property without the owner’s permission.

The bill does not apply to pet stores or humane groups and animal welfare, educational or agricultural organizations.

The bill targets backyard breeders of which there are estimated to be thousands in Arizona. Backyard breeders that sell direct to the public are not regulated by the USDA. It is not the only way these breeders sell their dogs, but the Arizona Humane Society fields hundreds of complaints each year about breeders selling their animals on roadsides and other public places.

The animals are usually deprived of even the most basic care. People who buy animals in these situations usually find they have an ill or diseased pet that costs hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in veterinary care with no recourse against the seller who is long gone.